State profile · Near median Poor share

Kentucky bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Kentucky.

14,548
Public bridges
26.6%
Good condition
7.4%
Poor condition

Kentucky holds 14,548 public highway bridges (#18 of 52 by inventory) with a 7.37% Poor share (#19 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 7.4% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 34 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

14,548

Public highway bridges in Kentucky

Good Condition

26.6%

3,866 bridges rated 7-9

-23.4pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

7.4%

1,072 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-0.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

Kentucky vs national bridge condition

Kentucky - Good condition share 26.6%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Kentucky - Poor-condition share 24.6%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Kentucky in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Kentucky has 14,548 bridges and a 7.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #34 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Kentucky has 14,548 bridges and a 7.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #34 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Kentucky vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

14,548 18th of 54 higher than 36 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Kentucky

The highlighted point is Kentucky: 14,548 bridges and 7.37% in Poor condition, rank #34 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Kentucky on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • North Carolina: 19,210 bridges · 6.76% Poor
  • Montana: 5,224 bridges · 6.81% Poor
  • Kentucky: 14,548 bridges · 7.37% Poor
  • New Hampshire: 2,542 bridges · 7.51% Poor
  • Oklahoma: 22,917 bridges · 7.70% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Kentucky

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 14,548 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Kentucky’s inventory

State agency holds 62.6% of the 14,548 public highway bridges filed under Kentucky in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Kentucky’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 13.8% of the 14,548 bridges with a recorded original year in Kentucky. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Kentucky26.6%66.1%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Kentucky (FHWA NBI)

Counties (120)

Adair 143 Allen 88 Anderson 84 Ballard 85 Barren 147 Bath 89 Bell 205 Boone 138 Bourbon 112 Boyd 89 Boyle 89 Bracken 49 Breathitt 124 Breckinridge 91 Bullitt 99 Butler 98 Caldwell 116 Calloway 210 Campbell 130 Carlisle 74 Carroll 68 Carter 189 Casey 143 Christian 300 Clark 117 Clay 160 Clinton 41 Crittenden 89 Cumberland 93 Daviess 282 Edmonson 39 Elliott 53 Estill 56 Fayette 200 Fleming 117 Floyd 161 Franklin 117 Fulton 95 Gallatin 55 Garrard 67 Grant 79 Graves 380 Grayson 119 Green 57 Greenup 161 Hancock 70 Hardin 223 Harlan 252 Harrison 153 Hart 57 Henderson 184 Henry 94 Hickman 123 Hopkins 251 Jackson 51 Jefferson 662 Jessamine 58 Johnson 99 Kenton 142 Knott 134 Knox 127 Larue 54 Laurel 131 Lawrence 103 Lee 42 Leslie 112 Letcher 179 Lewis 149 Lincoln 136 Livingston 104 Logan 135 Lyon 78 Madison 154 Magoffin 107 Marion 149 Marshall 208 Martin 70 Mason 97 McCracken 201 McCreary 39 McLean 75 Meade 24 Menifee 49 Mercer 75 Metcalfe 78 Monroe 70 Montgomery 74 Morgan 114 Muhlenberg 152 Nelson 151 Nicholas 82 Ohio 227 Oldham 66 Owen 54 Owsley 55 Pendleton 94 Perry 176 Pike 331 Powell 110 Pulaski 182 Robertson 24 Rockcastle 87 Rowan 130 Russell 46 Scott 183 Shelby 137 Simpson 50 Spencer 58 Taylor 92 Todd 80 Trigg 109 Trimble 44 Union 127 Warren 106 Washington 104 Wayne 76 Webster 144 Whitley 149 Wolfe 77 Woodford 60

Kentucky vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Kentucky on the same metric.

NC

North Carolina

6.76% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,210

MT

Montana

6.81% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,224
Selected

KY

Kentucky

7.37% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,548

NH

New Hampshire

7.51% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,542

OK

Oklahoma

7.70% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$22,917

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Kentucky

Six lowest-condition bridges in Kentucky, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

WIDS ROAD

Poor

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

100 NE OF JCT CR 5156, Adair, KY

Built 1971 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 10

PETROLEUM RD

Poor

Over: LITTLE TRAMMEL CREEK

0.2 MI. E JCT US 31E, Allen, KY

Built 1975 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 164

DEERFIELD ROAD

Poor

Over: STOVALL CREEK

.7 MI W OF JCT KY 802, Ballard, KY

Built 1988 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 40

KY-3042

Poor

Over: DIX RVR-HERRINGTON LAKE

.05 MI EAST OF KY34, Boyle, KY

Built 1924 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 630

KY-1951

Poor

Over: SNAG CREEK

2.4 MI. S.E KY 1019, Bracken, KY

Built 1988 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 36

Jones Branch

Poor

Over: South Fk Quicksand Creek

100 S of KY 1098 MP 9.23, Breathitt, KY

Built 2013 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 55

All Bridges in Kentucky

BLEVINS GAP RD

Good

Over: BEARCAMP RUN

0.46 MI E OF BEARCAMP RD, Jefferson, KY

Built 2023 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 655

Holbrook Town

Good

Over: N. Fork Kentucky River

250 FT NE of JCT KY 1862, Letcher, KY

Built 2020 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 60

KY-2020

Good

Over: STATE ROAD FORK

.06 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 40, Magoffin, KY

Built 1967 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 237

KY-152

Good

Over: Herrington Lake

West of Mercer County LN, Mercer, KY

Built 2019 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 2,211

KY-523

Good

Over: E FK COX CREEK

.1 MI. S.-JCT. KY 48, Nelson, KY

Built 1983 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 564

Buck Branch

Good

Over: Grapevine Creek

0.01 M S of JCT KY-28, Perry, KY

Built 2022 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 30

KY-3174 NC

Good

Over: KY-1373 and Beaver Creek

2.6 MI NW Virginia Line, Pike, KY

Built 2014 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 317

Beefhide Creek Rd

Good

Over: Beefhide Creek

1.4 M SW of KY 610, Pike, KY

Built 2022 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 805

KY-1722

Good

Over: BLUE BANK CREEK

2.7 MI N.E. OF I-64 OP, Rowan, KY

Built 1958 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 176

KY 873

Good

Over: Hector Creek

25 North of JCT 9006, Clay, KY

Built 2013 Load: 39.6 t ADT: 426

MURPHYS FORD

Good

Over: RED LICK CREEK

.1 MI S OF JCT KY 594, Estill, KY

Built 1979 Load: 39.6 t ADT: 119

NEBO RD

Good

Over: SNAKELICK CREEK

.3 MI S JCT KY 1054, Harrison, KY

Built 1992 Load: 39.6 t ADT: 17

KY-1016

Good

Over: TERRILL BRANCH

1.6 MI N OF JCT US 25, Madison, KY

Built 1949 Load: 39.6 t ADT: 3,144

WALNUT GROVE ROAD

Good

Over: MYERS CREEK

.02 MI NE OF KY. 1824, Marshall, KY

Built 2001 Load: 39.6 t ADT: 50

CR-1076

Good

Over: STONEY FORK

.1 MI W. JCT KY 2011, Bell, KY

Built 1993 Load: 39.7 t ADT: 65

LESLIE RD

Good

Over: SHANTY BRANCH

.7 MI E KY 1654, Carter, KY

Built 1991 Load: 39.7 t ADT: 22

GRIEF RD

Good

Over: NEWTONS CREEK

300EAST- 5351, McCracken, KY

Built 1993 Load: 39.7 t ADT: 32

Jim Arnett Br Rd

Good

Over: BURNING FORK

.05 MI S JCT KY 1888, Magoffin, KY

Built 1994 Load: 39.7 t ADT: 104

Travis Creek Rd.

Good

Over: Travis Creek

0.5 Miles NE of KY 49, Marion, KY

Built 1992 Load: 39.7 t ADT: 11

CYPRESS ROAD

Good

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

1.8 MI S. OF KY 1422, Marshall, KY

Built 2009 Load: 39.7 t ADT: 50

SORRELL LN

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

.05 MI E OF JCT KY 36, Menifee, KY

Built 1970 Load: 39.7 t ADT: 117

US HIGHWAY 641 NC

Good

Over: ROCKHOUSE CREEK

1.6 MI SOU. OF MARSAHLL C, Calloway, KY

Built 1976 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 5,076

US-641

Good

Over: ROCKHOUSE CRK OVERFLOW

1.6 MI SOU. OF MARSHALL C, Calloway, KY

Built 1976 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 5,076

KY-1339

Good

Over: I-65

.48 M WEST 005/031 C.L., Edmonson, KY

Built 2003 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 208

Collins Rd

Good

Over: Right Fork Beaver Creek

50 W of JCT KY 7, Floyd, KY

Built 1999 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 138

I-65 SB

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

3.4 MI. N OF US 62, Hardin, KY

Built 1982 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 25,853

I-65 NB

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

3.4 MI. N OF US 62, Hardin, KY

Built 1982 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 25,853

APPLE LANE

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.1 MI NE of JCT US-62, Harrison, KY

Built 2015 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 38

KY-2647

Good

Over: DRAKES CREEK

.1 MI. E JCT US 41, Hopkins, KY

Built 1995 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 113

BARKLEY DR

Good

Over: P&L RAILROAD

.5 MI NE JCT KY 952, Livingston, KY

Built 1999 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 94

US-60

Good

Over: W. FR. MASSAC CR OV. FLO

.6 MI E OF JCT KY 996, McCracken, KY

Built 2000 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 4,745

US-60

Good

Over: W. FK MASSAC CR. OV. FLO

.6 MI E OF JCT KY 996, McCracken, KY

Built 2000 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 4,745

WHITESIDES RD

Good

Over: EAST FORK COX CREEK

150 S JCT KY 48, Nelson, KY

Built 1991 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 145

BERT T COMBS-MOUNT

Good

Over: MID.FORK RED RIVER

.1 MI JCT KY 11 INTRCHNGE, Powell, KY

Built 1988 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 8,788

KY-768

Good

Over: GLENS FORK

.10 MI WEST OF JCT KY 55, Adair, KY

Built 1957 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 306

CANE VALLEY RD

Good

Over: CANEY FORK BRANCH

2.5 MI N OF S-JCT KY 55, Adair, KY

Built 1934 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 313

KY-473

Good

Over: UNNAME STREAM

1.0 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 156, Ballard, KY

Built 1950 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 570

KY-3288

Good

Over: MAUX BRANCH

.1 MI S OF JCT KY 1106, Bath, KY

Built 1953 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 156

CR 1338

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY HINKSTON CREEK

0.5 MI N. OF JCT. KY 11, Bath, KY

Built 1931 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 100

CR-1312A

Good

Over: LEFT. FK. STRAIGHT CREEK

.1 MI. N.JCT KY 66, Bell, KY

Built 1991 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 326

_CR-1184

Good

Over: HANCES CREEK

.10 Mi W of Jct KY 1344, Bell, KY

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 50

KY-338

Good

Over: LICK CREEK

4.9 MI W OF JCT KY 1925, Boone, KY

Built 1963 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 763

KY-18

Good

Over: GUNPOWDER CREEK

.8 MI E. JCT KY, Boone, KY

Built 1971 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 38,177

KY-20

Good

Over: WOOLPER CREEK

3.1 MI NOR OF JCT KY-18, Boone, KY

Built 2007 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 718

SADDLE RIDGE DR

Good

Over: ALLEN FORK

25 S OF JCT KY 18, Boone, KY

Built 1978 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 84

RIVER RD

Good

Over: SAND RUN

.6 MI SW OF JCT KY 8, Boone, KY

Built 1940 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 42

ASHBY FORK RD

Good

Over: BR OF ASHBYS FORK

2 MI SE JCT KY 20, Boone, KY

Built 1989 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 82

MEADOW CREEK DR

Good

Over: TRIB- SOUTH FK CREEK

.2 MI W JCT KY 842, Boone, KY

Built 1990 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 133

ORLEANS BLVD

Good

Over: FOWLERS CREEK

50 FOOT W OF JCT CR 5002, Boone, KY

Built 2002 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 5,629

THORNWILDE DR

Good

Over: SAND RUN CREEK

THORNWILDE LN .5W K237, Boone, KY

Built 1992 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 216

Showing 10,701-10,750 of 14,548 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use Kentucky's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Kentucky and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Kentucky Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.